[mrkstu]

Panama has done fine since a similar intervention.

The US didn't loot Iraq or Kuwait.

Trump is supremely transactional, so he doesn't do anything for free, but the high likelihood is that the US as a whole will spend more than it gets back in revenue, especially government revenue.

[erxam]

Panamá is doing "fine" because they actually own their fucking canal. If the US had its way and reestablished the Canal Zone, the rest of the country would collapse in on itself.

Which is exactly what they want to do with the Venezuelan oil.

[terminalshort]

Their canal? The US first built Panama, and then built the canal.

[taveras]

> Their canal?

Today, the Panama Canal is owned and operated by the government of Panama.

> The US first built Panama, and then built the canal.

We can concede that the US played the most significant role in the construction of the canal and applying pressure for Panamanian secession from Colombia, but Panama’s national identify predates the United States.

I love the USA too, but please chill with the rhetoric.

[terminalshort]

Right. I'm not disputing that the canal is, in fact, owned by Panama today. Nor am I suggesting the US should take it back even though I think it was pretty stupid to give it away.

[jacquesm]

You did in fact imply just that with your 'Their canal?'.